The development of Tyneside’s Geordie dialect is considered to have been heavily influenced by the language of Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians who arrived in the area centuries ago. Some terms given here are also shared with Scotland.
There is an ongoing argument about who can be classified as a Geordie. Purists maintain only those born in Newcastle-on-Tyne are true Geordies, while others claim the nickname also applies to residents of Gateshead (across the River Tyne from Newcastle) and other towns lying along the river, both north and south of it.
Bairn: Baby or toddler
Bonny: Good-looking, attractive.
Braying: Hitting or smacking
Broon: Local nickname for Newcastle Brown Ale
Bubbling: Crying.
But: Verbal full stop to a sentence.
By: Single word often beginning a sentence
Canna: Can’t
Canny: Nice, pleasant, good; can also refer to large amount of something
Chare: Narrow riverside alley
Clamming: Hungry
Crack on, cracking on: Talk, talking
Didna: Did not
Divn’t: Don’t
Eeee: Exclamation of surprise, excitement, or other strong emotion
Eeyem: Home
Fash: To be bothered about or annoyed by
Gan, gannen: Go, going
Gan canny: Go carefully, mind how you go
Harraway: Get away.; also an expression of disbelief
Howay: Come on
Hoy: Shout used to attract attention; can also mean to throw something
Hinney: Term of endearment
Ken: Know
Lops: Fleas
Man: General term used to address either gender
Marrer: Friend; sometimes used to mean a work-mate
Netty: Backyard outhouse
Nowt: Nothing
Owt: Anything
Parky: Cold
Sneck: Latch
Stotting: Downpour of rain
Tab: Cigarette
Wor: Our